It has been assumed that people on the autistic spectrum do not feel empathy, but the growing consensus within the autistic community is that this belief is based on a false understanding of how empathy is expressed in autistic individuals.
Hyper-Empathy
Finally this voice is being heard outside the autistic spectrum community and is making its way slowly into scientific thought. A recent study by Henry and Kamila Markram of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne supports what those with closer ties to autism have been saying for a while – that it is not always a lack of empathy, but an excess of empathy – sometimes called hyper-empathy – which can be the issue, overwhelming sufferers and causing them to shut down, outwardly appearing unconcerned, while in reality they are shielding over-exposed emotional 'nerves'. "There are those who say autistic people don't feel enough. We're saying exactly the opposite: they feel too much," says Kamila Markram.
Some autistic spectrum adults say they can feel the emotions of others as they enter a room, which can be overwhelming in terms of the amount of incoming information to process. Others describe their experience as having no barrier between the outside world and their emotional core. In other words, where most humans have a sort of self-preservative emotional cut-off valve, enabling them to exist more comfortably in their world, many people on the autistic spectrum lack this natural protection, so that awareness of another's pain is equivalent to experiencing it overwhelmingly personally, or that the amount of information which presents itself to them is overstimulating. Naturally, this leads to a withdrawal into self – which could be compared to the withdrawal of a hand burnt by proximity to heat – or in the latter example, to overload and possible meltdown behaviors.
Facial Expression and Research Methodologies
Another reason lack of empathy has been so closely associated with autism is that people on the autistic spectrum do not always wear their feelings on their faces, so while they may be feeling deeply empathetic, it may not necessarily be perceivable. The reasons why emotions are not always displayed in facial expression are not clear, but it does not seem to come naturally to those on the spectrum, and should not be mistaken for lack of emotion.
Furthermore, as Paula Jessop, an autistic spectrum advocate and qualified researcher, says, "research methodologies which use methods such as surveys don't work well for [autistic spectrum] people, as the given options for answers very often don't incorporate what they may actually want to say. Throw in also that autistic people communicate differently and it's highly likely that researchers who don't 'speak aspie' may be completely misinterpreting what their research participants are meaning." She also says that the type of research and evidence used may not capture the real picture of autistic spectrum experiences regarding empathy as well as other areas.
Why Understanding Hyper-Empathy is Essential
This basic understanding will inform responses to behavioral problems by parents and therapists – if, in fact, some behavioral problems stem from emotional over-stimulation, the method of addressing the behavior will be very different than if the source was something else. For example, time out may be needed to provide emotional space for the individual, which could pre-empt problem behaviors. Besides which, compassion would prompt protective measures for a person overexposed to others' emotions. For these reasons it is essential that understanding is reached about empathy and the autistic spectrum.
Conclusion
The overwhelming evidence from those with personal experience is that when it comes to empathy, the problem is often too much empathy, not the lack of it. After all, it is well known that people on the autistic spectrum suffer hypersensitivity to other stimuli such as visual, auditory and tactile, so it should not be surprising that this would extend to emotional stimuli. As more studies are conducted in this area, hopefully we will begin to see a widespread awareness of the truth about empathy in autistic spectrum individuals.
Bronwyn Azor - I've always loved the empty pages of a blank book; ripe for thoughts to be downloaded onto. Now I'm living my dream, but filling virtual ...
Join the Conversation